Beneath the Skin
by PinkKangaroo
Summary: Voldemort sends Bellatrix Lestrange undercover as a Hogwarts student to spy on Harry Potter. Will she follow through, or will she end up actually caring for the boy? R&R please!
1. The Task

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters or ideas.

**Chapter 1 **

**The Task**

Pale hands pressed their palms down on the smooth counter, gripping at its hard surface. Dark eyes stared tiredly into the mirror at her reflection. The face that had once been alive and livid out of loyalty to her master was now beginning to tire. She reminisced back to her time at Hogwarts. Then, she had been beautiful. Look what Azkaban had done to her, both physically and mentally. She was one of the few who remained loyal to her master, and how did he repay her? _No… stop thinking these things… you don't deserve to be treated well. You failed him!_ She cursed aloud at herself, her blood boiling at the thought of Harry Potter. The measly boy had no power at all. And yet she had lost to him. She had failed her master in the one simple task she had been assigned. He had made her pay for that.

Growling softly beneath her breath, she exited the bathroom and slowly made her way to her bed. Laying down upon it, she stared up at the ceiling. How had she failed? The picture of the scrawny boy with unruly hair hadn't left her mind. It had haunted her for the last year. He taunted her, jeering at her simple mistakes. If only she hadn't focused so much on her cousin, she might have been able to get the Prophecy.

Her mind traveled back to her master, the Dark Lord. He knew she was one of his most loyal servants, and though he punished her like the rest, he knew she would be given the more important assignments. Within the last year though, it seemed He had done little. Since the Department of Mysteries incident, he had spent much time alone, plotting his next move Bella figured. And yet, Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts had come and gone, and they had made no attempt to kill or weaken him. Why give the scrawny boy time to train? Why not finish him now and be over with it? She dared not voice her opinion to Him though. If she did, she would be punished most severely.

Just then, she heard a knock on the door. Her pale face filled with liveliness once more. This must mean He had a job for her to do. Eagerness filled her body, and she couldn't help but give a soft chuckle as she pictured herself torturing Harry Potter and his friends. _I'll get you widdle Potter…_

Opening the door, she found Wormtail standing before her. He motioned for her to follow her, and she did so, knowing he was leading her to the Dark Lord. She was shaking with the anticipation of finally getting revenge on Harry Potter. She had waited for this moment for over a year. What she didn't know was that her mission wasn't at all what she was expecting.

* * *

She entered the dark room and bowed down before the shady figure, piercing red slits staring at her with a menacing look. 

"Bella," he said, his tone harsh and demanding, "You are one of my most faithful servants, which is why I have assigned you this task."

Bellatrix was shimmering with both excitement and anxiety now. "I am eager to serve you, My Lord," Her voice displaying her eagerness.

"Quiet and listen," he snapped angrily, and Bella quickly pressed her lips together in silence. As if approving of this, he then continued, "Your task is not a usual one, but I know you will be eager to help in bringing the demise of Harry Potter." Her head bobbed up and down, but she dared not speak. "And so, you will be going undercover as a Hogwarts student and spying on him for us."

Her jaw dropped open in surprise. Her? A student at Hogwarts? Inside, she was opposed to what he was saying, but on the outside she did her best to remain calm and collective. "Yes Master," she managed, bowing her head, "I will do whatever you wish of me."

"As I knew you would," he said simply, his voice lacking much sincerity. "I have prepared a potion for you, which will de-age you. When you drink this whole flask, your looks will return to that of when you were in your seventh year at Hogwarts. I will make sure you get into the Gryffindor house. You are to befriend Harry Potter and his friends. Fit in with them as best as possible, and find out as much as you can about them and their plans."

She nodded, still filled with disbelief. She wanted action, and this is what she got? Why not just kill him? The Dark Lord then continued, handing her the flask. "Drink this tonight. Tomorrow you will board the Hogwarts Express with the rest of the students. I have arranged for your supplies to be purchased today in Diagon Alley, and have already gotten you a spot in the Gryffindor house. Your name will be Aurelia Sanders, a half-blood who was originally homeschooled." He then handed her a ticket for the train. "Don't harm him Bella." He paused. "That is all."

Taking the flask and ticket, she bowed once more and backed away from him before leaving the room. She found herself having trouble in calming herself. Befriending widdle Potter? She had no idea how she'd be able to handle it.

Pushing the door open to her room, she sat down on her bed and sighed softly to herself. Grumbling under her breath, she continued to remind herself of her loyalty to the Dark Lord. _He must have something planned… Don't bail out now._ Of course, He must have something brilliant up his sleeve. This was her chance to prove herself. Once they won the war, she would come out on top as one of His most faithful servants.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the flask and drank its contents. She didn't even flinch at its horrible taste. Setting the flask down on the table, she looked down at herself. She still looked the same. It must take a while for its effects to sink in. Laying down, she lifted the covers over her body and shut her eyes. Tomorrow, she'd finally begin in getting her revenge on Potter, no matter how slow the process would be.

* * *

Sleepy eyes opened the next morning, taking in her surroundings. Yawning, Bella sat up and rubbed her eyes. She felt… different somehow. It was something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Pushing the covers off herself, she got up and walked into the bathroom. Leaning forward over the sink, she turned on the water and splashed her face. Looking up at her reflection, her jaw dropped. Suddenly the events from the previous night all seemed to flash through her mind. _I'm beautiful…_

All traces of the pale and tired woman she had been the night before were now gone. Her dark hair was silky once again. The pale, skull-like face was young again, color once again filling her rosy cheeks. Lifting a hand, she timidly ran it through her hair. For the first time in a long while, she smiled a true smile.

It quickly faded, changing to a frown as she remembered what she was leaving to do today. She still was wondering how she was going to be able to put up with this. Sighing, she pushed the thought aside and began to get ready for the big day ahead of her. A wicked smile curled onto her face as she thought of Harry Potter's still, lifeless body.

* * *

Once Bella had finished her shower and had shrunken her clothes to fit her slender body, she heard a knock at the door. She slipped the clothes on quickly and unbolted the door, opening it and beckoning the man who was standing there inside. "Here's your school trunk. It's got the uniform, books, and all the supplies you need. Good luck." With a curt nod, he left her room, shutting the door behind him. 

Slipping on her robe, Bella opened the trunk and checked its contents. Everything seemed to be there. She could do this. _Don't harm him Bella_… His voice seemed to chant over and over in her head. This was her chance to show her master that she could control herself. She wouldn't harm him. She'd do as she had been ordered. Bellatrix Lestrange was not about to fail Him. Not again.

With a loud pop, she vanished.

* * *

A/N: I know it's odd, but I wanted to make something unique. Review please! Suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome! 


	2. A Second Seventh Year

**Chapter 2 **

**A Second Seventh Year**

Five minutes later, Bella was dragging her trunk onto Platform nine and three-quarters. It brought back so many memories of her time at Hogwarts the first time around. Now she'd have to endure another seventh year.

Her eyes scanned the students as they chattered amongst themselves. She needed to find Potter and his group of friends. Getting a head start on her task would make things a lot easier. To her excitement, she heard a familiar boyish voice behind her. Spinning, she spotted him easily, dark hair as unruly as before, his eyes still a brilliant emerald green. He was only a few yards away, yet engrossed in conversation with his friends. She rolled her eyes, her hand automatically retreating to her pocket to clench her wand tightly. Oh, how she wished she could use it. This self-control thing was not as easy as planned.

"Should we go find ourselves a compartment?" Harry asked, planting a soft kiss on Hermione's lips before taking her hand in his. The others nodded in agreement, and Ron led a girl whom Bella didn't recognize onto the train.

She hurried on after them, taking careful note of the compartment they entered. Waiting a few moments, she then approached the compartment and peeked inside. The four sat together, comfortably engaged in conversation as each couple cuddled together. Bella cleared her throat, holding back the rudeness she desperately wished to unleash.

"Um, the other compartments are full… Would you mind if I joined you all in here?" she asked, her voice filled with as much innocence as she could muster. The two boys seemed to be looking over her body, whereas Hermione was eyeing her suspiciously. The filthy mudblood was nothing but a nuisance.

"Sure," Harry finally managed. With a small smile, she took a seat beside him. It seemed that her presence brought an awkward silence along with it, because as she settled into her seat, they all exchanged awkward glances.

After nudging Harry hard in the ribs as she noticed the stare he was giving the new girl, Hermione broke the silence. "So, I haven't seen you around before? Did you transfer here?" she raised her eyebrows expectantly and all eyes turned to stare at her.

Bellatrix wasn't intimidated in the least. In fact, she was inwardly directing vulgar comments towards each of them, her blood boiling. Knowing she had a job to do, however, she remained calm on the outside. "I'm Aurelia Sanders. Up until now I was homeschooled, but my father got a job offer so he sent me here for my seventh year."

Hermione gave a slight nod, as if showing that she approved of the story. "I'm Hermione Granger," she said, before hastily adding, "Head Girl."

Inwardly Bella felt like lashing out at the bushy haired mudblood. She was nothing but a no-good know-it-all. Her kind didn't deserve to attend Hogwarts, and especially not become Head Girl! The thought was infuriating, but she wasn't about to blow her cover. Instead, she forced a small smile onto her face.

"I'm Ron. Ron Weasley, and this is Lavender Brown," the redhead said next. Bella's gaze then moved back to Harry, waiting for his introduction. Her eyes locked with his, and she could have sworn there was a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Did he know who she was? She tensed for a moment, then brushed the thought off. Even if he was suspicious, she'd find a way to make him trust her. She had her ways…

"I'm Harry… Potter," he said finally, hesitant to speak his last name. The lightning shaped scar on his forehead was hidden behind his messy hair. _Don't worry Potter, I won't treat you like a celebrity…_

"Nice to meet you… all," she said, more focused on Harry than the rest. He was the only one she needed to befriend. She'd avoid as much contact with the others as she could.

* * *

After a few minutes, Hermione turned to the rest of them, interrupting the awkward silence currently filling the compartment. "Well, I've got to go," she said, pausing for a moment after giving Harry a quick peck on the lips, "Head Girl duties…" she added, as if she needed an excuse. The rest nodded.

Less than a minute after she left, Lavender stood up. "I'm going to look for Parvati," she said. Ron quickly stood also. "I'll come with." The two immediately left, leaving Harry and Bella alone together.

Glancing over at him, Bella couldn't help but smirk. He looked so lost without his friends around. A moment later he turned to face her, his eyes locking with hers. An odd look washed over his face, and he squinted his eyes a bit, studying her closely. "I feel like I know you from somewhere…" he mumbled softly, more to himself than to her.

She tensed a bit, but quickly shook it off and decided to play along. "Yes, perhaps I've seen you at Diagon Alley?" she suggested, thinking of the most logical place he could have come across her.

He gave a slight shrug, dismissing the thought and seemingly agreeing with her idea. "Yeah," he said quietly, "maybe."

The rest of the train ride was mostly in silence. They talked a bit, and Bella did her best to hide her hatred towards him. In fact, she was quite pleased with herself at being such a good actress. She was actually acting… nice.

* * *

Once the Hogwarts Express had arrived at school, Bella exited the bus behind Harry. He quickly joined up with his friends, and she managed to tag along. She'd have plenty of chances to become closer to the boy, but why not start now?

As the group filed into the Great Hall, Bella managed to slip into the seat next to Harry. She received a nasty glare from Hermione, who took a seat on the other side of Harry and did her best to keep him from conversing with 'Aurelia'. It was obvious to Bella that Harry looked a bit flustered at the sudden attention he was getting. Emerald eyes flickered toward Bella every once in a while, giving her an exasperated look, as if telling her he wasn't asking for the constant attention. Bella didn't mind at all. In fact, she couldn't help but chuckle with satisfaction at the jealous look upon the know-it-all mudblood's face.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sorting of the first years. Bella clapped and cheered along with the rest of the Gryffindors as the new students were sorted into their house, yet her mind was focused on other matters. She didn't know how she'd be able to last in this house. Already she was having trouble keeping cool.

"So Harry, I hear you play quidditch? You're a… seeker, aren't you?" Bella spoke up to Harry before Hermione could get a chance once the ritual was over and the feast had begun. Harry didn't seem to be hurrying to eat his food, so she figured she'd use any chance she could get to make the mudblood jealous. She deliberately extended a hand and lightly rested it on his arm, her bright eyes sparkling as she looked into his.

"Yeah, I am a seeker," he said, a small smile spreading on his face as he turned to face her, proceeding to talk about Quidditch with her.

She feigned an interest in the subject, her face bright with interest, and yet inside she was gloating as she noticed the look Hermione continued to cast her way. Ah, how she loved to create chaos.

* * *

The rest of the feast was relatively uneventful. Bella managed to remain in conversation with Harry for most of the meal. So far, she hadn't managed anything personal out of him seeing as they just met. Part of her was interested to talk to him about the Dark Lord, mainly to give herself a valid reason to pull out her wand and torture the boy to insanity. No, she wouldn't kill him yet. Let the world see their precious boy-who-lived become a madman, unable to remember his own name. She chuckled maniacally to herself before the voice of her master filled her head once again, _Don't harm him Bella._ he had said. She clenched her fists. "Damn you…" she muttered quietly to herself as she crawled through the portrait hole and into the Gryffindor common room.

A fake smile was plastered to her face as she entered the room to find Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Ginny sitting together. After being introduced to Ginny, she took a seat on a comfortable chair facing the four of them. She had caused enough hatred to spur between her and Hermione at dinner, she didn't need to continue it now. After all, her task was to befriend the 'golden trio' and spy on them. To do so, she'd have to earn their trust. She needed to figure out a way for Harry to trust her enough to tell her about his experiences with the Dark Lord. But how? His bushy-haired girlfriend would surely have told him by now not to trust her. It seemed that the girl could see right through her.

"So, Aurelia, what classes are you taking this year?" Hermione asked, one eyebrow raised slightly as she looked at her in an arrogant, know-it-all way.

"Well, I'm taking Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defense against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Transfiguration," she said, glaring back at her. She was up to no good, she could tell.

"Well that's nice," Hermione said, before turning back to the others and starting a conversation that Bella had nothing to contribute to. She could have sworn the girl had even dared to flash a look at her that said _you're not welcome here…_ The nerve that girl had… If she only knew who she was. That she wasn't little half-blood Aurelia Sanders, but pure-blood Bellatrix Lestrange, loyal servant of the Dark Lord. If she knew that, she'd be more careful about how she acted.

Her blood was boiling by now. Her pale hand had slipped into the pocket of her robes and had her wand clenched tightly in his hand. She wanted to lash out right now at the girl and curse her, showing her not to mess with her again. Yet she knew she had to remain calm. She could not ruin her master's plans again. He was giving her a chance for redemption after her failure, and she had to take it. Once they had killed Harry Potter, his friends would fall apart, knowing they had no chance. Catching Hermione's eye, she scoffed at her before standing up. "Goodnight everyone," she said in the kindest and most innocent voice she could muster.

All of them smiled and mumbled a polite goodnight, with the exception of Hermione that is. Turning, she left them and made her way up the stairs to the girls dormitory, gritting her teeth as her hatred towards her new 'friends' began to resurface. And she had thought that

seventh year the first time around had been hard… _That was nothing compared to this…_

_

* * *

_

A/N: I had a lot of time on my hands this weekend seeing as I had to babysit my brother for a while. Hope this is a quick enough update for you! :)

**zero-skillz--** Glad you liked it! I may make him a bit more sly and cunning in the story, but who knows? I guess we'll just have to find out...

**Maddie--** Thanks for reading it, I'm glad you liked it! We can talk about it all in marketing tomorrow or something, lol.

**jpthug12--** Thanks for the review, I'm glad you liked the story.

If anyone has suggestions and ideas, I'll be sure to consider them and most likely include them.


	3. Another Year, Another Rival

**Chapter 3 **

**Another Year, Another Rival**

Bella awoke the next morning feeling quite refreshed. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Each time she awoke to see herself young again, she felt like she was in a dream. Seeing herself young and alive again, her eyes filled with their sparkle of youth, made her the happiest she'd been in years. Perhaps her Lord was rewarding her for remaining faithful to him while in prison. She pushed her shiny hair out of her pale face, which actually had color in it. Her lips curved into a rare smile as she stared into the bathroom mirror at her young reflection.

And then the door opened. Her blissful moment had ended.

"Hello Aurelia," Hermione said smugly, making her way past her with Ginny at her side. Bella growled softly and gave her a curt nod. The last thing she wanted was to spend time in the bathroom with her least favorite Gryffindors (then again, she didn't really like any of the Gryffindors). She quickly tidied her hair and headed back to the girls dormitory.

After she finished changing and readying herself for the school day, she grabbed her bag filled with her books and supplies and pulled its strap over her shoulder. Making her way down into the common room, she pulled her class schedule out of her robes and looked down at it.

"Charms first…" she mumbled softly as she descended the stairs.

"Me too." Came a voice from within the room. Her bright eyes looked up from her paper to find Harry sitting alone on the couch in front of the fire. Where was everyone else?

"Oh," she said in response. She was too deeply engrossed in her hatred toward Hermione that she forgot to be angry at Harry, even though he was the real target. _Filthy Half-blood…_ she reminded herself, suppressing a glare. "Where is everyone?" she added curiously.

He gave a slight shrug. "Down at breakfast probably. People are either down there or getting ready for class, which starts soon."

She nodded, walking towards him and taking a seat at his side. It seemed that the potion had not only made her look younger, but she felt more like her teenage self. She felt more immature and childish. In fact, she was afraid it would lead her to do something irrational. What would her master do to her if she failed? Looking up at Harry, she noticed that he was giving her an expectant look, as if waiting for some sort of reaction coming from her. Had he said something? "Huh?" she said, a bit more dumbly than she'd intended. Yes, the potion had definitely affected her personality also.

"I said…" he said, pausing for a moment, "Would you like to walk with me to class now?"

Without thinking, she responded sarcastically, "What about your girlfriend? Won't she be tagging along with her know-it-all comments?" Quickly she bit her tongue. _Don't go blowing things now. Keep your emotions inside… _She took a deep breath. One of her weaknesses was keeping her emotions bottled up inside. She was known for being the type of person who didn't hide anything. Unlike Lucius, she let everyone know that she was a supporter of the Dark Lord, while he hid it.

To her surprise, Harry didn't even glare at her. He remained emotionless, just looking at her for a moment as if deciding what to think. And then… he laughed.

To Bella, the laugh seemed to last forever, so long that it almost seemed to be… maniacally. And to her surprise, it reminded her of herself. Then suddenly he stopped, and said, "Nope. Not today…" Getting up, he waited for her to join him. She was still trying to figure out what was going on. Perhaps she'd imagined the whole thing and she hadn't really said the sarcastic remark she had thought she'd said.

This was Harry Potter. She'd seen him in the Department of Mysteries. She was forced to learn all about him as a Death Eater. And she knew, that the boy-who-lived was a protective and sensitive boy. She knew he hadn't come out of all the events in his life unharmed. He was weak and frail, more sensitive to a degrading comment than most others were. And she knew he was protective of his friends and family. Often he let his temper get the best of him and would abandon all sense of reason. She knew this from experience, and let now he laughed at her joke about his girlfriend? Maybe Potter wasn't the boy she expected him to be.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They arrived at their Charms classroom a few minutes early. Surprisingly enough, Bella had felt more comfortable around him than she expected. She continued to let her sarcastic remarks fill their conversation, and to her surprise Harry continued to seemingly enjoy them. Was he tricking her somehow?

Harry was chuckling at another of her sarcastic remarks about Professor McGonagall as they entered the class. They found Hermione sitting in the back of the classroom, book in hand. At the sound of their voices, the bookworm shut the book and looked up at them, glaring at Bella when Harry wasn't looking.

"Hello Hermione," Bella said, feigning sweetness, smirking at the bushy haired girl. Harry's gaze flickered between the two girls before he took a seat between them. They quieted as class started.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Throughout each of their classes, Bella spoke with Harry as much as possible. He was taking more of a liking to her than she expected. She was pleased with how things were turning out. After all, the closer they were, the better.

Once classes had ended, she dropped her things off in her dorm before heading down to dinner. Arriving a bit after everyone else, she barely managed to squeeze into a spot across from Harry, who was seated besides Hermione. She was sitting unusually close to him, as if claiming him as hers. _Not for long, my dear._ After all, the best way to figure out Harry's secrets was to get him to trust her. What better way to make him trust her than to make him fall for her? Once she flirted with him enough, he'd open up his heart to her and tell her everything. It made perfect sense.

In the middle of eating her food, Bella noticed a pale brown owl flying towards them. Obviously it was for one of them, and she was surprised to see it drop a letter onto her lap. Discreetly she opened the letter, making sure no one was looking, but not seeming too obvious about it. Who would she get mail from besides her master?

_Dearest Aurelia,_

_Your father and I are happy to say that we'll be visiting London in several weeks. The good news is that we'll be in town during your school trip to Hogsmeade. As soon as you get there, we'd be happy to meet you outside the Three Broomsticks. We miss you so much already._

_Much love,_

_Your Mother_

She held back a chuckle as she read the note. At least He hadn't gone with one of those anonymous letters with short abbreviations. When they were intercepted, those were the most suspicious. This, however, seemed like a normal letter to a student. It was perfect. No one would ever suspect anything.

"Hey Aurelia, whatcha got there?"

She looked up at Ron who was looking at her curiously. The redhead hadn't taken a liking to her, and yet he didn't dislike her. It was a sort of indifference that she didn't mind. Maybe once she befriended Harry, Ron would come along too and decide to accept her. If he didn't, it was no big deal. All she needed was Harry. "Letter from my parents," she said simply, dismissing the topic as she returned to eating her food and stuffed the letter into the pocket of her robes.

Glancing over at Harry halfway through the meal, Bella noticed he was being awfully quiet. He was involved in an occasional conversation, but he mostly seemed to be staring down at his food.

Smirking, Bella found his foot under the table and stepped on it lightly, making sure it was his. Sure enough, he looked up at her. Mouthing an 'oops', he shrugged and returned to his food. Now that she was sure it was his foot, she moved her foot back toward it. Lightly, she brushed it against his foot before tracing it up and down along his leg. She could practically feel him shiver, and a moment later his emerald eyes locked with hers. A mischievous smile formed on her lips, and to her satisfaction he returned it with a small smile. Glancing over at Hermione, it quickly disappeared and he pulled back his leg. It didn't matter to Bella though. She had felt his shiver and she knew that soon enough he'd give in to her. Hermione was too much of a bookworm, and definitely not a good girlfriend. Soon enough Harry would be spilling his whole life story to her. After receiving another angry glare from Hermione, Bella returned to her food, gloating inwardly at her progress.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After dinner, Bella retreated to the common room to do her homework. She was angry that this job included taking her N.E.W.T level classes over again. Seventh year had been tough academically the first time around, and one nice part about it was that it only happened once. In a normal situation that is. Bella's life was all but normal.

Plopping down onto the couch, she pulled out her Charms book and took out her quill and a piece of parchment. As she began scribbling down the answers to the questions they had been assigned to answer, she was interrupted by a familiar, yet unwelcome voice.

"Hello," Hermione said curtly, taking a seat on a black leather chair. Taking out her work, she eyed Bella suspiciously for a moment before settling in and beginning her assignment. She began scribbling furiously, never seeming to take a break. It seemed she had completely forgotten that Bella was even there.

Now that Hermione was in the room, Bella couldn't help but be a bit distracted from her work. The girl bothered her, plain and simple, and when she was in the room she couldn't help but constantly notice her irritating presence. Her focus and quickness on her work was, in Bella's mind, just another of her ways to show off.

Tired of listening to her constant scratches and scribblings, Bella gathered her things and fled from the common room, unaware of the smug look forming on Hermione's face as she left.

Five minutes later, Bella entered the library. Her first time around as a student, this was probably her least favorite place to be. It was too quiet, and Slytherins like her did **not** hang there.

It seemed times had changed though, because as she sat down in a remote section of the library, she noticed a familiar blonde seated across the table from her. _Well, well, well. If it isn't my favorite nephew. And here he has no idea who I am. This could be interesting_.

A smirk formed on her thin lips as she looked over at him. Suddenly aware of her eyes on him, he looked up at her and gave her a menacing glare, in attempts to scare her away. She held in her laughter. "Who are you?" he spat, forgetting all about the book he'd been looking at.

_Your aunt you stupid boy. _"Aurelia Sanders," she said simply, pretending she had no knowledge of this boy's reputation. She was hoping he would live up to her expectations.

"The new Gryffindor? I've heard of you," he sneered, pale eyes attempting to look menacing.

A sad attempt at being tough in her opinion. _You can do better,_ she scolded him inwardly. "That's me. And yet, I don't believe I've heard of you," she said coolly. _Let's see how he'll manage with a bit of teasing. How much pride does this boy have? _Now that Harry had accepted her sarcastic remarks, she felt free to act like that all the time. After all, as long as Harry accepted her, she could act however she wanted.

"Draco Malfoy. I'm sure you've heard of me. Everyone has."

"Everyone but me," she said playfully, glad she was having a bit of fun. She wondered what he'd do if he realized he was speaking to his Aunt Bella.

He growled. "I know you're fooling around. Everyone here knows who I am. I have a reputation." Pale eyes studied her for a moment before he added, "I'm the most popular Slytherin. All the girls know who I am. Some refer to me as… a sex god."

She resisted from throwing up. Her nephew was checking her out. She could practically feel those eyes wandering all over her body. Why had she chosen such a remote spot in the library to study? "Doesn't ring a bell," she said coolly still, refraining herself from getting too aggravated. She wasn't at all prepared for what came next though.

His expression seemed to change suddenly. "I wonder how someone like you ended up a Gryffindor." He moved closer, and Bella tried to edge away. "In fact, even though you're a Gryffindor I may consider letting you become one of my toys…" He ran a hand up along her thigh.

By now she was screaming at him inside. _I'm your Aunt you bloody git! _Shoving him away, she stood up and grabbed her books. "In your dreams." Was all she said before stalking out of the library and heading back to the common room. It seemed she would have to live with the irate scratching of Hermione's quill. That or be groped by her nephew. Oh god.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Keep reviewing! Hope you like the update. I may not be as fast updating in the next week or so, I've got Hanukkah and homework projects due. I'll try my best though.

**Maddie-- **Keep trying!! I can't wait to read your story! I'll show you my other story ideas tomorrow at school, I have too many! lol.

**zero-skillz--** Had to get a little Draco action in there, lol. You're not the only one who disapproves of H/Hr.

**jpthug12--**I like H/Hr (then again, I like almost any relationship) too, but yeah, this is Bella/Harry so Hermione won't last much longer... One story I might make is one with Tonks and Harry.Lol, I love Tonks for some reason. Anyway, hope you enjoy the story anyway.


	4. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

**Chapter 4 **

**One Step Forward, Two Steps Back**

After what seemed like forever, Friday finally came round. Bella found herself greatly welcoming the break after having an enormous amount of review homework piled on her. Most of it was rubbish, she had never needed many of these spells in the **real** world. And she hadn't remembered getting so much homework when she was a seventh year. If only she could have quit after graduating once. But no, she had to endure a seventh year yet again, and it was harder this time. Then again, who said she had to pass?

Once Friday's dinner had ended, Bella had gone straight up to the girls' dormitory. She had quite a bit of homework over the weekend but she'd rather procrastinate than do it now. After all, she had a Harry Potter to befriend… or seduce…

Halfway back down the steps, she paused as she heard the exchange of angry voices.

"Oh come on Harry, can't we just start the homework? You really shouldn't always save things for the last minute."

"Honestly Hermione, what is the big deal? I don't want to do my work now, I've got the whole weekend ahead of me!"

"I just thought we could spend some time together studying…"

"Later this weekend, all right?"

There was silence. Deciding to venture downstairs she found Harry sitting alone on the couch. Typical of the filthy mudblood to storm out and get angry over such a small, stupid thing. She argued with her boyfriend about doing his homework on Friday night? Breaking the two of them up would be too easy…

"Hey Harry," she said with a smile, pretending she hadn't heard any of what happened. She fell gracefully onto the couch beside him.

"Hey," he muttered softly, keeping his gaze on the blazing fireplace in front of him.

"What's wrong?" she asked, feigning concern.

"Just got into a fight with Hermione is all," he paused afterward, anger filling his voice now, "And about the stupidest thing, too! She's so bloody irritating at times. But I suppose no one's perfect, right?" His voice softened a bit at the end.

"Yeah… whatever you say," she said, not really wanting to help her case. "If you really like her personality and such, then I suppose it's worth it."

At this, he turned to look at her. Sighing softly, she could feel his emerald eyes on her. What was he thinking? _Who cares…_ her mind told her. _Right. I don't care what he thinks of me…_ A moment later, she dared to turn toward him, their eyes meeting. Finally, she added with a mischievous smile. "So… is it? Worth it?"

It was obvious he was hesitant. She knew right at that moment that Hermione and him wouldn't last, no matter what his response was. "Yeah," he said finally, speaking with a firmness that seemed forced.

"And then you have to wonder whether you can do better…" She said no more, letting him fill in the blanks. _Knowing him he probably can't take a hint. Why do I bother with such a git. This school is so full of them too… Especially my nephew. Oh gods, don't think about him…_ Pushing other thoughts from her mind she focused on Harry, raising an eyebrow slightly as she waited for a response. He was stuck, she knew it. _Coward…_ "Where's your Gryffindor courage?" she hesitated, realizing she had said it aloud. She couldn't blow it with him. If she pushed it too much and he rejected her, she wouldn't be hurt but it would hurt her chances for succeeding in the task she'd been given. Here goes nothing…

A moment later she had leaned in and locked her lips with his. She grinned through the kiss as she felt his arms wrap around her body. Something seemed to be driving her further, for she found her tongue slipping into his mouth moments later. Quickly, she pulled away, gasping for breath. _What the hell are you doing?_ It seemed like… no. He was so young, inexperienced, and not to mention her enemy.

Looking up at him, he seemed to be regretting what he had just done. "What… I… Oh, Merlin…" She almost laughed as he mumbled softly to himself. "What the hell did I just do?" he finally said a bit more clearly than his previous comments.

"We kissed," she said bluntly, looking over at him. She wasn't in the mood to fake some sort of sympathetic, heartfelt scene.

"I know… but I… I've got a girlfriend…" She then interrupted him. "Ok, I know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did. But don't tell me you didn't like it." _Well that shut him up…_ "So I guess you've got a lot to think about then? Or you can go back to your bookworm girlfriend… whatever…" Without waiting for his retort, she got up and turned and exited through the portrait hole. She needed some fresh air.

Minutes later she had left the school and was wandering the nearly empty lawns. Most likely she shouldn't have kissed Harry, but it was obvious he liked it, wasn't it? Why was he suddenly so hard to figure out? Back when he was simply her enemy, it seemed as if she had known him better. She had been able to guess each move he was about to make. Why was it that as he got closer, she seemed to know him less and less?

Sighing to herself, she tucked a loose strand of her dark hair behind her ear. As she headed toward the lake, she heard a voice from behind her. "Come back for more?" Whirling, she turned to find herself face to face with Draco. Before she would have smirked at his wit, yet now he seemed purely dumb and arrogant. Too much for his own good.

Her face showed pure disgust. "Get away Draco."

"On a first name basis then, are we? Aurelia…" He took a step closer. Merlin, how dumb did the git get? Surely he could understand that she had turned him down, multiple times, right? Backing away, she watched him close in on her. The more she looked at him… the more she was around him… the more she saw that slimy smirk… she couldn't help but wonder whether he was really related to her.

"Let's go back to last names, Malfoy," it felt odd calling him by his last name, "Can't you get it in your thick head that I don't want you?"

He seemed to pause for a moment, his steps toward her ceasing. Taking up this opportunity, she decided not to wait for his next comment and slipped past him. She could hear his footsteps coming after her, causing her to speed up. Hurrying back into the school, she ran up the stairs. Why was he still chasing her? She continued upward, pausing only to turn and see whether he had quit the chase. It seemed that running had only made the poor boy more determined, eager to catch his prey. Seeing as he was gaining on her, she hurried down a hallway, taking a left at the end of it and opening the nearest door. After ducking inside, she leaned back against the wall, trying to catch her breath. She heard footsteps near and then fade.

Soon enough her breathing had returned to normal. Turning, her eyes surveyed the room she was in. It was a bit smaller than a classroom, but much more spacious. The odd thing about it was that it was completely empty except for a mirror in the opposite corner of the room. Curious as to why the mirror was the only thing occupying the room, she walked slowly toward it.

Her brows furrowed as she looked into the mirror. What the hell was this thing? It wasn't a mirror, for rather than showing her reflection, it had a different image. Smiling back at her and waving was herself as a teen. The odd thing was that by her side was none other than Harry Potter and his friends. What kind of joke was this? Turning, she made sure the boy wasn't behind her. When she looked back at the picture, the boy's friends had disappeared. It was only her and him. Then suddenly a cloaked figure moved into the image, raising his wand. It was her Dark Lord. The younger image of herself stood in the middle of the two figures for a moment, her eyes darting back and forth. Bella chuckled at the image in the mirror. _Perhaps this mirror predicts the future… I'll have to tell Him about this…_ "And now is when I betray widdle Potter," she murmured aloud to herself, chuckling one of her infamous, evil laughs, The laughing quickly ceasing only moments later, her breath suddenly caught in her throat. Dazed, she stared at the mirror feeling dumbfounded. She, in the image that is, turned her back to her Master and walked to Potter's side. There she stood loyally at his side. If this was truly the future, did it mean that she would betray her master?

She felt insane and vulnerable once again. Whirling around, bright eyes darted around the room frantically. It was a trap, wasn't it? Surely the whole Order would be swarming the room in a moment, giving her a speech before taking her to Azkaban once again. This time she'd die. She couldn't take it again. She'd much rather stay at this wretched school than go back to that horrid place.

But there was nothing. It seemed that she really was alone. No aurors were suddenly popping out of the walls with their wands ready. As she tried to calm herself down, she couldn't help but turn back to the mirror. She now had an arm wrapped around Potter, both waving and smiling blissfully. Once again, what the hell was going on? The question continued to run through her head. Blinking, she tried to organize her muddled thoughts when the mirror's image flickered and changed once again. Why did it insist on confusing her so much?

The new image contained more figures than simply her and Harry. Several of his mudblood friends stood at their side, all looking nothing but gleeful. The oddest thing was that the teens she recognized as sons and daughters of prominent pureblood men and women had joined the filthy mudbloods with the same expressions on their faces. She was becoming more confused by the second until suddenly it became clear. The mirror showed her fears, for mudbloods and purebloods to live together in harmony. _That's all it is… makes perfect sense…_ she convinced herself, unconsciously stumbling backward away from the mirror. Something in the back of her mind told her that her assumption was incorrect, but she ignored it. Her hand groped behind her for a door handle. Upon finding it, she turned it and quickly fled the room. Feeling a bit flustered she hurried up to the Gryffindor common room, thoughts of the mirror replacing her disgusted thoughts of her dense nephew.

She returned to the common room to find it empty. Immediately she took that back as she noticed a couple snogging on a couch in a shadowy corner of the room which the light of the fireplace didn't quite reach. Rolling her eyes at the couple, she continued on before stopping in her tracks. Turning, she squinted toward the couple and realized that yes, it was Harry and Hermione. _What on earth have I done… I suppose he took my advice and went back to his bookworm…_ Thoughts of the mirror quickly returned to her head and she suddenly felt dizzy. Insane. What had Azkaban done to her? When one simple thing confused her now, she felt like screaming. She may not have been able to control her temper very well before going to the prison, but now matters were even worse. She shivered as she thought of the prison itself. All that she had endured for her master and look where she was now. As she snapped out of her reverie, she realized that something seemed different. There was something missing… _What was it… oh…_ _yes, the obnoxious sound of their smacking lips has finally concluded. Wait a minute…_

Two brown eyes accompanied by a brilliant emerald set were peering over at her curiously. The bushy haired girl had sat up by this time, straightening up her appearance. By now her eyes were focused on Bella herself, curious as to why she seemed so out of it. Clearing her throat, the girl tried to attract her attention. _I know you're there filthy mudblood_… she wanted to snap. Perhaps that night's events had caused her ill mood, but all she knew was that she wasn't in the mood to be messed with. The list of things that had gone wrong that night seemed to be constantly growing. "Sorry to interrupt," she muttered, loud enough for the two to hear, yet it was apparent that she wasn't sorry in the least.

Harry seemed to hesitate for a moment before asking curiously, "You alright Aurelia?" How kind of him to ask…

"Fine," she replied warily, though it was an obvious lie. Hermione obviously didn't seem to mind, and seemed to be bothered by the fact that the girl was still there. Poor mudblood had finally gotten a decent snog out her boyfriend and it had to get interrupted. Pfft, served her right.

Harry seemed so torn at the moment, Bella could barely keep herself from laughing aloud. Emerald eyes darted from Hermione to Bella, as if trying to decide whether or not to desert Hermione to comfort her. Bella rolled her eyes. _Have your snog… see if I care, I'll still get your secrets somehow…_ Turning, she headed toward the stairs to the girls dormitories, hurrying up them before the two could say anything to stop her.

Bella lay back on her bed, closing her eyes. She had just finished her hot shower, which she'd taken in hopes of washing away the stench of failure. It hadn't worked. She still felt like crap. Today had been a step backward in her plan. Not to mention that her nephew hit on her yet again. Merlin, she was beginning to hate that boy with a passion as time went on.

Then that mirror. What the hell had that been? She honestly hoped it showed a person's fears, because there wasn't another logical explanation, was there? Perhaps she should ask Harry later. Knowing him, he'd probably know about each room in Hogwarts due to all his widdle adventures.

And the kiss. It seemed that it had backfired. Instead of bringing Harry closer to her, she must have made him realize how much he liked that filthy mudblood. She needed to get close to him, and quickly. By the time the first trip to Hogsmeade came around she needed to have gotten some secrets out of him. So much for her idea of seduction. He was probably snogging Hermione silly at this very moment. She growled softly at the thought.

_One step forward, two steps back…_ Pulling her blanket over her tired body, she snuggled into her bed, hoping its warmth would take her mind off her task at hand. Soon enough she had drifted off into a deep sleep, thoughts of the day's events slipping from her mind.

* * *

A/N: Hope you all like the update, I've been writing a little each day whenever I get the time. Keep reviewing! The more I get the more motivated I am to update quickly. It's nice to see that people are reading my writing.

**zero-skillz--** Thanks for the suggestions, if you've got anymore then feel free to give them to me and I'll try to fit them in the story as best I can.

**Sightburner--** Glad you like the story, and don't worry they'll break up soon enough but I've gotta give Bella a bit of a challenge first. What fun would it be if she seduced Harry right away? :P

**gingerlover--** I'm glad you're still reading the story, lol. Sorry I abandoned you in marketing on Friday but I was sleeping at home all day. See you Monday (tomorrow)! Oh, and update your story by the way. I'll talk to you on AIM if you need ideas or something.


	5. Hook, Line, and Sinker

**Chapter 5**

**Hook, Line, and Sinker**

Bella walked silently through the deserted hallway when a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the shadows. She felt the figure shove her against the wall and pin his body against her. A soft gasp left her lips as she felt the boy's hot breath on his face. Reaching out, she found her hands grasping at shaggy, unruly hair. She squinted, trying to make out the figure in the darkness and catch her breath at the same time.

"Harry?" she breathed, her voice soft as she felt his hands roaming all over body.

"How did you know?" he said confidently with what she guessed was a smirk. Then again, she couldn't see in the darkness. Saying nothing in response to what she guessed was a rhetorical question, she felt her arms being pinned to the wall above her. She could feel him moving around a bit, and a moment later his tongue was brushing lightly against the soft skin of her neck. Letting out a quick gasp, she tried to squirm from her current position but found that she was stuck against the wall in his grasp. By the time his mouth moved up to meet her own, she was breathing wildly. Kissing him deeply, she felt his hands massaging the back of her neck. Moaning softly through the kiss, she then felt his hands smoothly grasp her shirt and begin to unbutton it. She pulled away from the kiss, gasping for breath as a soft moan left her lips. She was practically sweating by now, still squirming within his grasp. Her chest was pounding.

"Oh god Harry…" she murmured softly before her lips were captured with his own. In mid-kiss she felt a hand shove her shoulder before tugging on it, trying to get her attention. "Go away…" she murmured, breaking the kiss before kissing him again. The person persisted, pushing harder now.

-----------------------------------------------------------

"Wake up Aurelia!" Ginny spoke in a hushed voice. Nudging her once more, she looked up to make sure no one was watching. Luckily everyone was sleeping.

Finally Bella stirred and rolled over onto her side. Groaning softly, she lifted a hand and rubbed her tired eyes. Once she finally opened them, she practically jumped as she noticed Ginny standing beside her bed. "What are you doing here?" she said urgently in a hushed voice, aware that everyone else was asleep.

"You were... well... you were talking in your sleep..." Ginny said hesitantly.

The dream she'd just had seemed to suddenly rush back to her. _Oh god... This can't be happening..._ "You did? Well, uh, what did I say?" she asked softly, hoping she hadn't heard anything important.

"Well, I... uh..." her cheeks flushed, "something about... erm.... Harry..." She stopped there, knowing that Bella was well aware of what she was talking about.

"This stays between us," Bella growled. This girl wasn't about to screw things up and get rumors spread about her. Gritting her teeth, she rolled over onto her other side, away from Ginny. She couldn't let Harry find out about this while he was with Hermione. And it was all too rushed. The Aurelia he knew had only known him for a week. And she was already dreaming about him?

Sighing softly to herself, Bella rubbed her eyes and sat up. She was glad to see that Ginny had left her spot and gone back to her own bed. Sighing softly, she watched the redhead open her trunk beside her bed and search through her things. She didn't want to trust her, but she had to.

* * *

The weekend came and went rather quickly, as did the next couple weeks. Bella was constantly doing her best to befriend Harry and his friends that had been at the Department of Mysteries last year. It was difficult talking to Neville after doing what she had done to his parents. She had trouble remaining in his presence for more than five minutes without letting out a taunting remark. The other day she'd almost let a comment about his parents slip when they were both in the common room. From then on she'd decided not to spend time near the pathetic boy in fear of blowing her cover. Luna was tough to contact without looking too suspicious since she was in Ravenclaw and a year younger, so Bella hadn't counted on getting information out of her. Hermione, she had counted out ages ago, seeing as the bushy haired girl had seemed to hate her from the start. That left Ron, who held little interest in her, and Ginny. To Bella's surprise, she had gotten much closer to Ginny since the whole dream incident. The two often did their homework together and even had short conversations every once in a while in the common room. They almost seemed to be... friends. 

Harry, on the other hand, seemed to be avoiding her. Bella knew better than to bring him up in her conversations with Ginny after the girl had heard her moaning his name in her sleep. It seemed that she'd have no information to give her Master by the upcoming Hogsmeade trip. There was only a week remaining and she still had no good news. It wasn't until that Monday that she got some uplifting news.

"I knew they wouldn't last more than a month," Parvati giggled to Lavender as they sat cross-legged on their beds exchanging gossip.

"Oh come on, you're just glad because you fancy him," Lavender replied, giggling quietly herself.

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"I mean, if he kissed me I'd kiss him back and everything, but who wouldn't? I wouldn't have said this a few years ago, but now, he's... sexy," Parvati admitted finally. Nudging Lavender, she added, "You agree, don't you?"

"Well..." Lavender flushed a bit, but was interrupted by a voice coming from across the room.

"Who are you two talking about?" Bella asked curiously, leaning lightly against the wall. She'd come upstairs just in time to hear that some couple had broken up, but she was curious as to who it was. She knew the two girls had never liked her much, but they did love to gossip.

They eyed her for a moment before Lavender spoke up, "We were just talking about how Harry and Hermione broke up. Now, if you wouldn't mind leaving us alone...?" Parvati nodded in approval.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever," Bella said, holding in any unfriendly remarks she wanted to let out. _I didn't want to stay and talk anyway. I've got what I needed..._ So they had broken up. This was exactly what she needed. Smiling to herself, she set off to the bathroom to freshen up. If she should _happen_ to run into Harry today, she'd need to look her best.

* * *

"You know, it actually seems possible..." Hermione said thoughtfully, narrowing her eyes as pondered further. 

"Oh come on Hermione, it's ridiculous! I mean, she seems like a nice girl to me. A bit quiet, but still," Ron retorted, looking at his two friends in disbelief, "Bloody hell, you two are out of your minds."

"Ron, I know it's her. During the whole summer after fifth year, I wasn't able to take my mind off her. The way she taunted and teased me. She tortured Neville's parents. She _killed_ Sirius," Harry's voice raised slightly. There was both anger and sadness filling his voice. "I'm not sure how, but when I heard Aurelia speak after she... kissed me... well, I guess a part of me just knew it was her. Something just... clicked."

Hermione nodded. It wasn't the first time Harry had told her about the kiss, and so she wasn't surprised. After their mutual break-up they'd been a lot more open with each other than they had been during their relationship.

"I don't know Harry..." Ron said hesitantly, lifting a hand and running it through his fiery red hair.

"I know it's her Ron!" Harry yelled angrily, standing up now as he stared at his friend. Breathing heavily, he stared at his friend for a moment, emerald eyes filled with hatred. Over the last few years, Harry's temper had gotten worse, and he often got out of control. It was easy to see that a boy who'd been through so much would lose it sometimes, but Ron and Hermione agreed that it was getting out of hand.

"Alright..." Ron said quietly, giving in to his friend. He didn't want to start an argument right now. "So what do you plan on doing?" He added hesitantly.

"I don't know..." Harry said softly, taking a seat on the couch once again. "We've got to come up with some sort of a plan. Most likely she'll be relaying everything we tell her to Voldemort, so we've got to be careful what we say. We should give her some information eventually so she doesn't get suspicious, but nothing important. Never trust her."

"We can't let her figure out that we know who we are," Hermione added.

"But, as we go along we'll look for clues and make sure it's really Bellatrix Lestrange, right?" Ron asked hopefully, hoping it wouldn't cause Harry to have another outburst. To his relief, Harry simply nodded.

"And eventually... we'll somehow avenge Sirius' death. If it's the last thing I do..." His two friends nodded hesitantly, exchanging a glance with each other.

* * *

"Hey Harry," Bella said pleasantly as she walked into the common room later that evening. Taking a seat beside him on the couch, she set her bookbag on the ground beside her. 

"Hey," he said quietly. She looked into his eyes, noticing what seemed to be a flicker of hidden emotion before they returned to their previous emotionless state. There was something odd going on. She could feel it.

"How are you doing?" she asked carefully, trying to sound comforting.

"Fine," he said simply.

"I heard about your break up with Hermione."

"Yeah?" he responded, obviously uninterested in the subject. That's it. She was getting fed up with this.

"What is it? You've been avoiding me the past few weeks and now you won't talk to me. Are you still uncomfortable because I kissed you? Because I won't do it again if it'll make you happy. Well? Answer me will you?" her voice was filled with anger, rising above its normal volume. She looked at him, filled with anger, as she waited for his response. Instead, she felt him lean forward and lock his lips with hers. His muscular arms wrapped around her body as his lips ravished her own. Bella was in such shock that her normal thoughts of hatred were far from her mind. The kiss seemed to end as soon as it had begun, and yet it felt like it had gone on for an eternity at the same time.

"I've got to go," Harry said quickly, leaving Bella to be the confused one this time. And there he left her, with her hand lifted hesitantly her lip, the place where his lips had been only moments ago.

Quickly ascended the stairs to the boy's dormitory. Passing by Ron's bed, he leaned toward him and whispered quietly, "Hook, line, and sinker." Smiling insanely at his progress, he settled into his own bed and minutes later fell soundly asleep.

* * *

A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to update and despite the time it's taken me to write it, it's still short. I went on vacation and was pretty busy setting up the new computer I got for my room (yay!). Anyway, hope you all will continue to enjoy my story! I love reviews! hint hint 


	6. Lies and Secrets Untold

**Chapter 6**

**Lies and Secrets Untold**

As soon as Bella's eyes opened, all she could think about was the kiss from the night before. Maybe she had confused him when she first kissed him, but the confusion his kiss had caused her didn't even compare. And before she could say anything, he'd just left. It was this side of him that intrigued her though. The good little Harry Potter she'd thought of him as seemed to be more mysterious and sly than she had thought. A part of her was even hoping that she'd get another kiss from him, but she refused to admit it. After all, she was married and although her husband was currently in Azkaban prison, she had faith that he would escape. Once her job here was over she'd be able to go back to him and finally be... happy.

Sighing, she shook the thoughts from her head and got up and out of bed. With no more than a glance toward Hermione and Ginny she headed into the bathroom to begin readying herself for the day ahead.

By the time Bella was showered and dressed, most people were already seated in the Great Hall and had begun their meals. Upon arriving, Bella noticed happily that a spot was open between Harry and Ginny. Walking calmly toward them she took a seat between the two, flashing a small forced smile. Moments later a plate of eggs and bacon appeared in front of her. Picking up a fork she slowly began to eat it, trying to take note of what everyone else was talking about at the same time.

The usual swarm of owls flew into the hall only minutes later. Like every other day, a copy of the Daily Prophet landed in Hermione's lap. She noticed the bushy haired girl's brows furrow as she studied the front page of the paper. Figuring it was nothing important, she continued to eat, stopping only to briefly converse with Ginny about the upcoming Quidditch season. Wanting to draw Harry into the conversation, Bella turned to her left prepared to ask him how he was feeling about the Gryffindor team, when she noticed he was already busy chatting with Ron and Hermione. Normally she wouldn't have thought much of it, but the trio was speaking in hushed voices so she figured something was up. Things got more suspicious as she noticed that many people at other tables were also whispering to each other. Over at the Slytherin table Draco and a few of his cronies were chuckling quietly and joking with each other.

"What's going on?" she asked, turning back toward Ginny. Ginny did nothing but shrug. Having been talking with Bella the whole time, she obviously hadn't yet been filled in.

Turning back to Harry once again, she impatiently tapped his shoulder. So what if he was talking to his little friends, she was tired of being left out of the secret. Harry turned to face her, a cold look on his face. His emerald eyes stared at her with an emotion she knew so well herself; hatred.

_This is it_. It seemed obvious to her that they'd figured her out. Maybe the Prophet's cover story had been on how aurors had somehow found Death Eater headquarters and had figured out that Bellatrix Lestrange had gone missing. Though to anyone else the idea would seem extremely far-fetched, Bella had believed it at the time. She found her breath caught in her throat as Harry continued to glare at her. Never before had she ever believed that little Harry Potter could harm or even scare her. And yet the look he gave her now actually sent a chill up her spine. Maybe that look was one of the reasons she would later come to believe that this boy actually had a chance of defeating the Dark Lord. He possessed some sort of power she couldn't quite figure out. "Um... what is it? What's going on?" she asked in a feeble voice, trying her best to shake herself out of her moment of fear.

The angry boy turned away and grabbed the newspaper Hermione had set on the table. Then he thrust the paper in her face. Her eyes widened as she read the article.

_**Mass Breakout From Azkaban**_

_Mistress of Magic Amelia Bones has confirmed last night that nine death eaters have escaped from the Azkaban prison. The dementors which previously guarded the prison were recently replaced by Aurors seeing as the Ministry of Magic has deemed the guards to no longer be trustworthy. Auror Raghnall Lafferty was killed in the breakout and a few others were seriously injured. "We suspect that the breakout means that... Lord Voldemort, will be attacking soon and suggest that people are more cautious than usual," said Bones, "We are doing our best to find... him, and any of his followers." For safety precautions and suggestions on how you can help, please turn to page 5._

Below the article were pictures of the Death Eaters who had escaped. She forced herself to hold in her smile as she noticed her husband's picture. It seemed that things were looking up for the dark side.

Harry was still looking at her expectantly when she handed the paper back to him. "Merlin, this is horrible!" she said immediately, sounding shocked. He glared at her a moment longer before nodding.

"They're horrible people. My friends and I fought them last year in the Department of Mysteries," Harry said quietly, waiting for her reaction.

Bella grinned inwardly. Already he was beginning to confide in her it seemed. She raised her eyebrows in mock shock. "Really? What happened?" She already knew the answer of course, but she figured she might as well let him say it. After all, wouldn't most people be curious as to what happened if a boy told them he'd faced a group of Death Eaters?

"Well, to make a long story short they wanted me to get something for them. Something only myself or Voldemort can get. A few... adults came in the middle of the battle to help us and we drove Voldemort away. Most of the Death Eaters were caught, but not before Voldemort left and took Bellatrix Lestrange with him." He paused, glancing over to see what her reaction was. Her eyes were still wide in shock but little did she know he could see right through it. He could even tell that she was inwardly cursing and screaming at him for saying the Dark Lord's name in such a way. "Before they left though, she killed my godfather. I promised myself that I would make her pay." He gave her a look for a moment that made her freeze inside. It was if he knew.... but no, he didn't. He had no idea that she was the murderer of Sirius Black. It really was too bad it had come to that, but sometimes lives must be taken.

"Wow... I'm so sorry," she said softly, averting her eyes timidly. He gave her a curt nod and turned back to Hermione and Ron. Bella held in a smirk and turned back to Ginny, relaying the news she'd just gotten from Harry.

By the end of the meal, both Harry and Bella left the Great Hall with the pleasant idea that they had made substantial progress in their current task at hand.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Immediately after breakfast, the Golden Trio rushed up to Dumbledore's office in hopes of speaking with him before class started. They knew it was a risk since they had Potions first, but the matter seemed urgent to them. What if Bellatrix Lestrange had something planned? It would be best to let him know as soon as possible. Once they had reached the stone gargoyle, Harry's two friends turned to him with expectant looks. Scratching his head, he realized he had no idea what the password was. "Sherbert Lemon?" he guessed, but nothing moved. He glanced over at his friends as they waited impatiently. "Erm . . . " he tried to think of another password Dumbledore might possibly come up with when the stone wall suddenly slid open. With a slight shrug, he stepped forward onto the spiral steps followed by Ron and Hermione.

"What is it Harry?" Dumbledore voiced from inside his office just before the trio reached it. How he always seemed to know everything was a mystery Harry was still nowhere close to uncovering.

"Professor..." he began, unsure of where to start. He glanced over at his silent friends for support before continuing without them anyway. "Well, you see.... we think... well I'm pretty sure that... Aurelia Sanders is Bellatrix Lestrange." He didn't mean for it to come out so bluntly, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

The trio watched him closely, expecting him to panic or at least question further. Instead he simply stood there calmly, his blue eyes still focused on Harry as he sat still at his desk. He could have sworn his eyes even twinkled. Finally the headmaster spoke up, though it still wasn't at all what they had expected. "Yes, I've come to the same conclusion," he said calmly, yawning as he shoved a few papers aside.

"Well... but... Professor, I mean.... aren't we going to do something about it? Find proof? Turn her in?" Hermione sputtered, breaking the awkward tension that seemed to be filling the room. A few of the portraits seemed to have perked up by this time, watching the conversation with interest.

"I'm afraid we have no proof right now. At the moment, I doubt turning her in would be the safest choice of action. I'm sure you read this morning's article. Azkaban is not stable."

"But... a criminal here in Hogwarts?" Hermione seemed bewildered by the fact that she would be sitting in class beside a murderer. Her and her peers were in danger.

"And won't she be telling You-know-wh - I mean, V-Voldemort everything?" Ron finally added.

"I have a feeling that Bellatrix won't be causing any trouble here at Hogwarts. And if I'm not mistaken, she may even prove useful... But you must not confide in her. We may be able to get some information out of her without her realizing it..." Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "It's almost time for class now. I don't think Professor Snape will be pleased with your tardiness." He raised an eyebrow slightly and the trio nodded, heading for the door. "Harry," he added, pulling the boy aside and speaking only to him, "I know you've faced Death Eaters before but don't get yourself into trouble on this one, alright? Lemon drop?" He offered the candy which Harry refused after nodding in agreement to his first comment. The headmaster's eyes twinkled. "Run along then," he added, noting that Hermione and Ron had already descended the stairs. Harry turned dutifully and did so as well, inwardly yelling at the professor for treating him like a child. He'd do whatever he felt like doing.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey B--Aurelia," Harry said to catch her attention after class. His heart was practically pounding after his near mistake. If he let her knew that he knew who she was, everything would be ruined. Not only that but she'd most likely unleash some powerful curses in the middle of the crowded hallway. Luckily she hadn't noticed his stutter in all the commotion taking place in the hallway.

"Hey Harry," Bella responded, turning to face him. There was an odd look in his eyes but maybe he was still rattled over the breakout from the morning paper. She took a step toward him so she could hear him over the noise. "What is it?"

"Well... you know how the, uh, Hogsmeade trip is coming up?" Harry said, purposely stumbling over his words. Bella grinned inwardly and nodded. "I was wondering... would you like to go with me?"

She raised her eyebrows in mock surprise. "You... you mean, like a date?" He nodded. "Well... you see Harry, I'd like to go on a date with you and all... but I promised my parents I'd meet them during Hogsmeade seeing as they're staying in London for a few days. They heard about the trip and agreed to meet me there. Maybe... some other time then?"

"Sure, we can talk about it later. See you," he said smiling. Turning, he headed back to Hermione and Ron, his mind set on the Hogsmeade trip. He knew this meant that she was going to meet with some of her fellow Death Eaters. And he knew he'd have to follow them.

"You alright mate?" Ron asked, looking curiously at his friend.

"Yeah fine, I just got a bad score on my essay. Snape's so bloody unfair at times," Harry growled, hoping this would be convincing.

"What's new," Ron said, rolling his eyes at the thought of their Potion's professor, dismissing Harry's earlier moments of spacing out. Hermione however still looked at him cautiously, suspecting that something was up.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The long awaited Hogsmeade trip had finally come, and Bella found herself anxious as ever. After breakfast, she walked with Ginny into the entrance hall where they met up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Bella flashed Harry her best attempt at a timid smile, which he returned. She noticed he seemed a bit quieter than usual, which she decided was simply because he was disappointed he wouldn't be spending the day with her. She had that affect on people after all. A few Slytherin boys had even crossed the Gryffindor-Slytherin boundaries to ask her to Hogsmeade which she had politely refused. Ok, so she had _actually_ hexed them and landed herself in detention, but honestly, the Slytherin's of this era were nothing but a disgrace.

The group of five slowly made their way outside behind a group of Ravenclaw sixth years. "So, got anything planned today?" Ron was asking Hermione as they walked. Hermione shook her head. "Aren't you meeting up with someone Ginny?" she asked, turning to the younger redhead.

"Who is it?" Ron fumed, turning his attention to his younger sister, "You and Dean broke up last year, you're not back together are you?"

"No Ron, and quiet down, would you? You're making a scene," Ginny flushed, glancing over at the Ravenclaws who had turned to watch. "I'm just meeting up with Neville."

"Oh, so now you're going out with him?" he asked, raising his voice once again.

"No, you git! We're just hanging out, alright?" she glared at him, balling up her fists without realizing it. Her brother sighed and let it go, for the moment that is. He'd lecture her about boys later that night.

"So it's just the four of us then?" Ron said calmly, changing the subject.

"Oh, well I've got to go meet up with my parents, but maybe near the end of the trip I'll see you all," Bella said as cheerfully as possible. The trio resisted exchanging a glance with each other.

"The three of us then, right Harry?" Harry nodded, then an odd look crossed his face. "What's wrong mate?" Ron scrunched up his face a bit as he studied his friend.

"I just realized I've left something at breakfast. I'll meet up with you two in Hogsmeade."

After a slight shrug from both Ron and Hermoine, they nodded their heads and continued along with Bella in silence. Meanwhile Harry rushed back into the school to fetch the unknown item he'd left there. The three continued walking in silence, the tension between them was obvious and yet they made no attempt to right it. To the relief of both parties, they had soon reached the gates leaving Hogwarts. With a slight nod of her head toward the two, Bella made her way through and then off toward the Three Broomsticks, barely able to resist from humming as she walked.

"He's got something planned Ron, I can feel it," Hermione said warily, casting a glance across the lake at their school. "I say we wait for him here at the gates so we'll know for sure when he gets here."

Ron nodded, knowing better than to argue with her. After all, she was always right in the end. And so, the two friends leaned against the gate, awaiting Harry's return.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Bella had neared the Three Broomsticks, her bright eyes darting around for any sign of an unusual bystander. Then again, the person she was looking for would most likely blend in the most. Approaching the small building, she leaned against the wall casually as if waiting for someone – which she was.

Yawning after a few minutes of waiting, she surveyed the area once more. She knew better than to give up though. Her Lord would never leave her waiting. Suddenly, she felt a hand tap her from the side. She turned to find no one there. A small smirk formed on her lips but was gone as soon as it had come. Glancing around, she quickly disappeared behind the building. To her luck - then again it was probably planned - there was a large clump of trees behind the building. She felt herself being tugged into the shelter of the thick foliage and another moment passed before the figure before her was revealed.

"Had to make sure we were safely hidden..." the male whispered quietly into her ear, his voice still barely audible. A smirk spread onto Bella's face as she ran her eyes over the young figure before her.

Unlike the last time she'd seen him, his face was cleanly shaven. His long, tangled dark hair had been trimmed and had a much cleaner look to him. The largest difference was his face, which looked as if he were no older than seventeen once again. Rodolphus Lestrange. "I can barely recognize you darling..." she murmured quietly, tracing a finger along his face. She knew better than to say his name, for there was always the chance that someone was listening.

A smile graced his lips as he pulled her into a quick kiss. She could see the longing in his dark eyes as he held her. She knew he loved her, and always had. She couldn't quite say the same for herself though. Her main goals were power and wealth, both of which he had helped her to achieve. With his help she had risen through the Dark Lord's ranks, now in what was considered the top echelon of Death Eaters. When it came to love, she honestly wasn't sure whether she felt that way toward him. She never had toward anyone. There were always things she placed higher on her priority list. Though she cared dearly for her husband, he knew she would do anything for her master. To Bella, loyalty came first. Whoever she put her trust and faith in was the person she'd follow to the end. And that person was Voldemort. If there were anyone Bella loved, it was him, though not in the romantic sense.

"How's the progress?" he spoke quietly, barely audible once again. His tone had changed now though, more on a professional level than before. Voldemort trusted him to meet with Bella at Hogsmeade knowing he wouldn't let his feelings for her cause their capture. Few would recognize him in his disguise, but they would need to be careful.

"I think it's finally working. He confided a bit in me about the Department of Mysteries, but nothing we didn't know already. He even asked me to Hogsmeade, so I'm guessing he's taking a liking to me," she said softly, bringing her lips to his ear so they had little chance of being overheard even if someone were hiding nearby.

Instead of a jealous reaction, Rodolphus chuckled quietly. "Keep it up darling. Make him trust you, but don't force the information. Let him come at his own pace. We're in no rush."

"What's going on? I can't stand being left out of all the plans," she whispered in response, urgency filling her voice. If there was one thing she hated, it was being left out of all the current news and decisions, something she unknowingly had in common with Harry.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you. It's not safe," it was obvious he wanted to tell her, but rules were rules. She nodded, though she didn't like the answer. She couldn't risk blowing their cover if she was caught.

There was a soft rustle of leaves nearby and the two immediately sprung apart, hands grabbing their wands. But there was no one. After cautiously checking the area, the two came together once again. The meeting had only been a quick check-up, and most likely her husband had little else to ask of her. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms tightly around her body as he engulfed her in a deep kiss. "I know there's someone here," he murmured quietly through the kiss, continuing on as if nothing had happened.

"They can't get anything out of it," she responded simply, speaking in the same way he had. Finally the two pulled apart, gasping for breath. To anyone else it would have seemed that the two had merely been having themselves a good snog. Any hint of conversation between the two was not visible. With a soft smile, Bella kissed him once more.

"Bye," he said softly once the kiss was over. His eyes followed her as she left the clump of trees before he hesitantly pulled his invisibility cloak over his body. He knew someone had been watching, he just couldn't figure out where they were.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry had felt a bit guilty about leaving his friends. After entering the school he'd slipped into the shadows where he had pulled out his invisibility cloak and put it on. He'd then immediately left the building and hurried back toward Hogsmeade. At the gate marking the end of the Hogwarts grounds, he'd seen Ron and Hermione leaning against the gate, obviously waiting for him. He'd almost shed his cloak in response to his guilt and accompanied them to Hogsmeade, but his plan was too important. He couldn't have let them tag along either, for he knew the three of them would no longer fit beneath the cloak. And if they could fit, they'd be clumsy and not stealthy enough for sneaking. And it was sneaking that he was about to do.

Luckily, he'd done a bit of detective work the night before. When Aurelia had excused herself from their studying session in the common room to go to the bathroom, he'd searched through her book bag. To his luck, he'd found what he was looking for. Hidden in a secret compartment was the note he'd been looking for. The note from her parents.

After getting over his feeling of guilt and deciding it was for the best, he had run from the gate all the way to Hogsmeade and the Three Broomsticks. There he had found Aurelia, leaning against the wall of the building. His eyes glanced over to his left as he realized a passerby was about to bump into him. When he looked back, she was gone.

His first step had been to scan the area. Knowing she couldn't have gone far, he concluded that she hadn't left the spot by the path. He also hadn't seen the door open, which he would have noticed, so that ruled out her entering the building. His eyes flickered to the area behind the Three Broomsticks and noticed a patch of trees. Quickly he hurried behind the building and into the trees where - to his happiness - he found Aurelia. But she wasn't alone.

He couldn't figure out who it was that she had pressed her body up against so closely. He felt an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach as he watched, but he quickly pushed it from his mind. Taking a step closer, he tried to get a better view at the figure. He seemed oddly familiar in a sense, but he had no idea who he was by looking at him. Instead he tried to concentrate on listening to their conversation. To his dismay, their voices were too quiet. Though he could tell they were talking, it sounded like nothing more than a soft murmur. In a desperate attempt to catch part of the conversation, he stepped closer. He grimaced as he realized he had stepped on a dry leaf, and it crackled beneath his feet. The two sprung apart and immediately began searching for him. He narrowly avoided Aurelia's outstretched hands, but was relieved when the two seemed to give up and move back together. He watched with disgust as the two pulled each other into a passionate snog. Rolling his eyes, he glared at the two as they continued to kiss. He wasn't sure what the feeling he was getting meant, but he guessed he was angry at Aurelia - or Bella - for being happy. After all, his ultimate goal was to make sure she'd never have that feeling again.

The two finally pulled apart, and after a quick kiss had parted. He watched as the male pulled his own cloak over his body and disappeared. Not wanting to run into the invisible figure - literally - he hurried off. Overall, his mission hadn't been very successful, but there was that boy, about his age. Something told him he was a Death Eater, further proving his suspicions that Aurelia was really Bellatrix. He wanted proof though, so that if he needed to, he could prove that she really was the Death Eater he'd come to hate with a passion. Finding a safe place to remove his invisibility cloak, he hurried off in hopes of finding Aurelia. They had some bonding to do.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Yay, my longest chapter yet! I hope you all like it, I didn't really do much editing so I hope it's not crap. I really need to finish up my homework and I want to get this posted tonight, so I don't have enough time to look through it really. If you notice any big errors or just anything odd, please tell me and I may end up editing it and reposting.

**I'm glad I got so many reviews last chapter, thank you all!**

**zero-skillz --** I've taken your idea into consideration, though I don't think it would have fit in to this chapter.I thought about it as I was writing.Thank you for your reviews, I hope you continue to enjoy my story seeing as you're my most dedicated reader.

**Mehetabelo -- **Yeah, though I'm still not completely sure how I'm going to get it to work and have it still seem somewhat realistic, I've got a few ideas planned. I guess we'll just have to wait and see then, won't we? I'm glad you like my story, and I hope you continue to.


	7. Revelations and Realizations

**Chapter 7**

**Revelations and Realizations**

Seeing Rodolphus again left Bella feeling confident and renewed. Since their meeting, everything felt perfect, and she was sure that nothing would be able to ruin her euphoria. The way the students laughed and talked, gossiped and cuddled; none of it fazed her in the slightest. And to top it all off, she heard a familiar voice from behind her.

"Hey! Aurelia!" Harry was running to catch up to her, his hands holding his robe to keep himself from tripping. Coming to a stop, Bella turned to face him, a small smile etched onto her face. "How about that date now? Or have you not met your parents yet?" He asked, his pale face flushed a deep shade of red from his run. She had trouble suppressing a giggle as she studied his disheveled appearance. But Bellatrix Lestrange did not giggle at seventh year boys. Especially not Harry Potter.

"And what did you have in mind?" she asked, running a hand through her hair as she took a step toward him. What a perfect opportunity to continue in her attempt at winning the boy's heart. Or at least, to make him think that his heart belonged to her. Whatever would make him trust her fully, and although her Lord had only told her to befriend him, friendliness wasn't exactly her strong point. But after she'd snogged him silly, the least the puny boy could do was share his deepest secrets with her. That was a fair trade, wasn't it?

"We could go somewhere to eat," he suggested with a light shrug. "Or just go for a walk."

The latter sounded promising. There would be less people around, making it easier to spend time with him alone. She would hate to happen upon the rest of his golden trio. The thought of the bushy haired girl and fiery redheaded boy made her sick to her stomach. "A walk sounds nice," she replied, reaching a hand out to ruffle his hair. She froze as she felt him flinch at her touch, as if he was repulsed by her or something of the sort. "Are you ok?" she asked, her voice slightly shaky. His response to her flirting was like a wake up call to her. What if this didn't work? What if she failed her master? She couldn't blow this. Not now.

"I-I'm...I'm fine," he managed, despite his struggle for words. "I'm sorry," he added, lowering his voice as he moved into her body, wrapping his arms around her waist. Their eyes connected for a moment, in their gaze was a mixture of so many emotions that it was incomprehensible. In that one look, they had revealed all their hidden emotions. The lies, the secrets, the hatred, the feigned compassion. And yet, as Bella saw the mixed emotions in Harry's emerald eyes, she failed to interpret their meaning. Rather, she was left with an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. And then, his lips captured hers, and she felt herself relaxing into the kiss. Shutting her eyes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him. Her heart fluttered in her chest as Harry pulled away a moment later for a breath, though his face was still dangerously close to hers.

She swallowed in between breaths, as if the break would help her find words. "It's ok," she finally managed, trying to regain her composure. Maybe seduction hadn't been the best plan of attack, for it seemed as if it was backfiring. Rather than rendering Harry speechless with her bewitching charm, he was taking control of her. It was one thing to be taken by surprise by his sudden kiss. That was acceptable. But it was another to stand there with her mouth open like a fool, unable to even speak afterward. She was a pathetic excuse for a human being.

The part that worried her the most though, was the feeling she'd felt when Harry had kissed her. She didn't even feel that way when Rodolphus kissed her. What did it mean? That she'd actually enjoyed the kiss? It couldn't be. Harry Potter was her ultimate enemy. There was no other person she'd rather see dead, not even his two obnoxious sidekicks. Perhaps it was just her way of showing her surprise. After all, she most definitely had not been expecting him to kiss her right there and then. Especially not after he'd flinched at her touch.

But the surprises were not over. The warring inside of Bella's head was disrupted by a gentle shove. Without thinking, she let Harry guide her a few feet back, toward the side of the building they had been standing near. She shivered as she felt her back collide with the cool brick of the wall, and her mind immediately flashed back to the dream she'd had nearly a week earlier. Only this time, it was real.

Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest as Harry caressed her lips with his own. Unlike her dream, she didn't put up a struggle or even make an attempt to move. Instead, she melted into his body, giving in to the kiss. His hand was beneath the back of her shirt now, his mouth exploring her own.

And then suddenly, it was over. He pulled his mouth and body away from hers, and the sudden absence of his body made her feel a coldness that had nothing to do with temperature. Blinking, she slapped herself mentally. She wasn't about to stand there like an idiot this time.

"I've never seen that side of you before," she said, toying at the front of his robes. Then without warning, she grabbed his robes and spun around so that he was pinned against the wall this. A small smirk spread onto her face as she noticed his shock at her sudden move. Two could play this game, and she wasn't about to let this boy control her.

Leaning in, she planted kisses along his neck and jaw before pulling back and looking at his face. Her playful smirk had disappeared at this point, and her face was stony and serious. "Now," she said, her voice matter of fact, "You are going to stop toying with me, and tell me what it is you want. Do you want me? Or do you just want me for the occasional snog and then leave me guessing? Just tell me now!" She shook the front of his robes, baring her teeth in frustration and exasperation.

Harry remained silent for a moment. Bella had no idea what was running through his head at this point, but it was obvious that he was deep in thought. Why should he even have to think over it? He was supposed to be able to tell her right away that he wanted her, no question. If only she knew of the conflict in his mind, his knowledge that he was kissing a woman he'd sought revenge against for the past two years. If only she knew. It would make her job a hell of a lot easier.

"I do," he said finally, softly. "I do want you. No more games."

"Good," she replied, loosening her grip on his robes. Her facial expression softened a bit. At least that was settled. Maybe alone time wasn't exactly the best thing for them at the moment. Within the next hour, Harry would probably dead. Of course, that idea sounded quite appealing, except for the fact that her master had explicitly told her not to harm Harry Potter. So harm him she would not. "You know, I'm actually rather hungry now that I think about it," she said simply, taking a step back away from him. Their eyes connected, emotions hidden well behind them this time.

"Alright. Let's go."

* * *

"What? The new girl?" Parvati seemed bewildered. "Why her? And didn't he just break up with Hermione?"

"I knew you fancied him!" Lavender giggled, combing a hand through her hair.

"Well, a bit, but what was I supposed to do? I had to give him some time after Hermione, and then he goes up and hooks up with that slut?"

"We all knew it was an easy break up. You should have made your move." Lavender was now frowning at herself in the mirror, teasing her hair in attempt to make it look absolutely perfect.

"But why her? She's so quiet, and then when she does talk she's so bitter," Parvati frowned, examining her nails as an attempt to calm herself. "Such a bitch."

Bella bit her lower lip in anger. And she was the bitch? She hated those filthy gossiping Gryffindor girls who had nothing better to do than talk about everyone else and their flaws. She could go on and on about their flaws, but of course she would never do that because it was a waste of time. "You're more of a slut than I'll ever be," Bella spat, entering the room and walking over to her bed. Grabbing her quill and parchment, she then quickly strode out of the room, leaving the two girls with their mouths hanging open in astonishment. Not everyone was going to accept her relationship with Harry, but she could care less. All that mattered was that he was beginning to trust her. At least, she hoped he was.

* * *

The next morning at breakfast, the owls swarmed into the Great Hall and dropped their papers and letters as usual. Hermione's face brightened significantly as she read the headline on the cover page of the Daily Prophet. "Harry, look!" she exclaimed, shoving the paper in his face.

Bella watched carefully as he read over the article, a smile spreading onto his face. She froze when he looked up from the paper and at her. Rolling the paper up, he tossed it across the table to Bella. Unfolding it, she looked down at the headline, doing her best to hide her shock. "Exciting, isn't it?" Bella looked up at Harry as he spoke, and the knowing look on her face truly frightened her. Did he know? He couldn't possibly.

Taking a deep breath, she loosened her grip on the paper when she realized she had nearly ripped it. She couldn't let her nervousness show. Maybe he didn't know. After years of breaking laws, she'd learned that when you were guilty, it always seemed to you as if you'd been discovered. And yet half of the time, they had no clue that it was you who committed the crime. The other half, well, you weren't so lucky.

**Death Eater Lestrange, Found and Captured**

_Last night, death eater Rodolphus Lestrange was captured in the outskirts of the forest near Hogsmeade. He has been sent to a prison in an unnamed location due to the recent breakout in Azkaban. Lestrange was found alone, though the area is currently being searched for signs of any other death eaters, and hopes of recapturing the escapees of Azkaban remain high. As for wife, Bellatrix Lestrange, she has not been sighted since two years ago, when..._

Bella didn't even bother to read the rest. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, and she could feel Harry's cold stare fixed upon her, boring into her. Daring to look up, she forced a smile. "We can only hope they'll find the rest of them," she said, gulping as she took a sip of her juice.

Yesterday evening. Near Hogsmeade. She'd been with Rodolphus only a few hours before he'd been captured, most likely. The person in the bushes must have known who he was and then alerted the ministry of his whereabouts. Although she didn't have proof, she knew it was Harry. The way he had 'happened' to find her after her meeting with Rodolphus. The way he had left to get something just before they'd left for Hogsmeade. When he'd run back to get his scarf at the end of their trip to Hogsmeade, he'd probably gone to get his invisibility cloak that he'd been forced to hide somewhere. That was how he'd followed and spied on her. It all made sense now. Harry Potter knew who she was, and that was dangerous. She would not run away though. She would not fail her Lord so miserably yet again. But she needed to find some way to alert him of the danger she was in. Surely any owl she sent would be intercepted. Until she figured out a way to communicate her discovery to him, she needed to continue as if nothing had happened.

"I'm full. I think I'm going to go back up to the common room." Bella announced, her voice sounding as if everything was normal. Harry, Hermione and Ron all gave her a slight nod.

"Bye." Harry said, catching Bella's eyes with his own. The emotions were all there this time; the hatred, the lies, the secrets, the truth. And this time, Bella knew exactly what they meant.

* * *

"Do you think she knows?" Hermione whispered, leaning in towards Ron and Harry as soon as Bellatrix had left the Great Hall. 

"I don't know... don't you think we should do something about it?" Ron asked, stuffing a fork full of food into his mouth in an attempt to calm his worry.

"No," Harry replied sternly. "Dumbledore's probably got something planned."

"But that's assuming she doesn't realize that we know who she is! What if she's figured it out?" Hermione reasoned. She didn't seem to be willing to let the subject go.

"I doubt she knows," Harry lied. He still hadn't told Hermione and Ron that he'd been the one who'd helped the ministry find Rodolphus. As far as they knew, it had been an anonymous tip. "She seems completely normal around me."

Hermione gave a resignated sigh. Ever since they'd found out that Aurelia was actually Bellatrix Lestrange, she'd done her best to avoid arguing with Harry. There was something extra going on with him now though, she could sense it. "Wait a second. Do you think the Ministry is on to her too? I mean, if they found Rudolphus yesterday after Hogsmeade, maybe they saw him meeting with Bellatrix. She obviously was meeting with him rather than her family, right? So what do you think will happen? The Ministry would never let a death eater walk around Hogwarts freely."

Harry sighed. He couldn't really explain it to her unless he told her that he'd been the one who saw the two of them meet. Right now, he really wasn't up for explaining it either. "Let's just drop it, ok?" he asked, his tone portraying his obvious irritation with her. "I'm going to go up to the common room now. See you both later."

Getting up from the table, Harry walked toward the large doorway of the Great Hall, thinking carefully over what he would do next. Bellatrix wasn't completely dim, so it was obvious that by now she knew that he knew who she was. He had to be cautious now. Obviously if she hadn't harmed him thus far, she wasn't going to anytime soon.

When he really thought about it, there was nothing left for him to do now other than turn her in. Confronting her about who she was would be too dangerous. On the other hand, though, he had no desire to be rid of her yet. There was something inside him that was urging him to keep her around. He could just keep the game going for a little longer, for what reason he was unsure of. Keeping such a hated enemy close to him was comforting somehow. Perhaps it was the feeling of having her at his own will, firmly within his grasp. Or perhaps he was actually coming to enjoy the intimacy that they were sharing. No to the latter. He was using her, and she was using him, simple as that. Bellatrix Lestrange was his sworn enemy, and there was no way that was going to change. Not now, not ever.

* * *

A/N: Wow, it's been **ages** since I've updated this story. I've been meaning to do it for so long, but it had already been so long that I felt like I didn't even remember where I was heading with the story anymore. I'm happy to say that I've come up with some ideas now, so hopefully I'll continue to update it regularly from now on.

Sorry if some parts don't fit with earlier parts of the story, I did my best to pick up from where I left off. Thanks to everyone who has waited so patiently for an update, and I hope you're still interested over a year later!


End file.
